Читать книгу An Essay on the State of England - John Cary - Страница 7

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May it please Your Honours,

IT is the greatest Happiness of the People of England that the Laws by which they are govern'd cannot be made without the Consent of their Representatives, who as they obtain good Onesfrom the Favour of their Prince, so 'tis their own fault if they pass such as are bad.

Amongst all our Laws none tend more to the promoting the Wealth of this Nation than those which advance its Trade and Manufactures, by the latter we not only imploy our Poor, and sotake off that Burthen which must otherwise lie heavy on our Lands, but also grow Rich in ourCommerce with Foreign Nations, to whom we thereby sell our Product at greater Prices than itwould otherwise yield, and return them their own Materials when wrought up here, andencreased in their Value by the Labour of our People.

This little Tract I humbly offer to this Honourable House, not to direct, but with all Humility to lay before Your Honours an Anatomy of the Trade of England, dissected and laid open so as todiscover its Vitals, which have seemed to be struck through by some late Acts.

Whatever doth Prejudice to our Manufactures, or burthens our Foreign Trade above what it is well able to bear, stabs them to the Heart, and where Taxes are thus laid, they disable theSubject, and consequently are so much more burthensome as they make him less able to paythem; But when our Manufactures are encouraged, and our Foreign Trade made easie, and wellsecured, the Lands of England will be advanced, and Taxes paid without Discontent, becausethey will scarce be felt, especially when equally laid; and in such a Manner, that every Manshall pay his Proportion in a Regular way.

If what I have written may be serviceable to this Honourable House, I shall think my Time and Labour well imployed.

That God will direct your Councels, to the Advancement of his Glory, and the Welfare of this Nation, shall ever be the Prayer of

Your Honours most truly

Devoted Servant,